The Termination Process

Florida courts adhere to the doctrine of at-will employment. Accordingly, an employment relationship can be terminated at any time, for any reason or for no reason at all, at the will of either the employer or the employee, so long as the reason does not violate a statute. However, this doctrine is not absolute. There are several recognized exceptions to employment at-will. Some of these exceptions to the doctrine are discussed at length in the attached PDF.

Employers should thus be aware that statements written in either personnel documents, policies, and handbooks could be construed by courts to form an implied employment contract. Therefore, it is important that statements produced by the employer be carefully worded and considered. For instance, every offer letter, introduction to an employee handbook or policy manual should contain disclaimer language that affirms the at-will status of the employment relationship.

For the full story, please view the PDF.